SARKIN FAWA TUSTLE: Who would Succeed Musa Alin Galadima as the Sarkin fawa of Lokoja?
By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
The area that would become Lokoja,the present capital of Kogi state has been inhabited for hundreds of years by people from different ethnic groups prior to the arrival of Europeans.
The migrations of these groups to the area could be in part accounted for by its nearness to the banks of the Niger and Benue rivers, exiled emirs and trade route for kolanut traders.
Some of the first groups of people to settle in Lokoja are Hausa . It is said that they migrated from Kano,Zaria,Katsina amongst other cities in Northern Nigeria.
Like in other ancient cities,the hausas in Lokoja chooses their leaders according to their occupation,( sarkin Fawa). In this discuss we’ll be looking at the establishment of Butcherng occupation in Lokoja and it leadership.
The death of sarkin fawa Musa alin Galadima on Friday ,11 June 2021 after he reigned for 16 years opened another struggle for his sucessor.
The contest according to my findings is between the the groups, from Garko and Bebeji all from Kano State.
Though,there are other insignificant contesters,categorised as “spoilers”according to Audu Garko.
Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim,a Butcher and residence of Lokoja,while speaking with this reporter has this to say: ” though, I don’t what to comment on the issue of who succeed late Musa,but the fact is that for the occupation and our members to progress,there’s need to chose someone that is educated, especially in Western education, exposure experience,should be our guide to selecting a leader,without these qualities I mentioned above, it’ll be an efforts in futility.
When you look at the buctharing profession, many believed that the occupation is consist of debtors, to change that narratives,there’s need to elect an educated person who would be willing to take us to pedestal of development.
We all know that at this 20th century,if your leader is not educated, you’ll be isolated by the government and other relevant agencies, it’s very important to consider these factors than puting our personal interest ahead of the welfare of our members ” he said.
When contacted,one of the elders from unguwan fawa,who doesn’t want his name to be mentioned, informed this reporter that,”as an elders that have been in this occupation for over 45 years, we cannot afford to move backwards,we need to do everything possible to see that this time around we get it right by electing the right person as Sarkin fawa.
Even when the late Sarkin fawa Musa was alive,we have people that having been running the affairs of the association,they were trusted and their performance remain unblimished, especially the secretary whose exposure and Western education contributed immensely to the development of the profession and it members, it’s imperative that we support him for the benefit of butchering occupation,to wipe away the bad narratives associated with the profession ”
The sarautan Sarkin fawa of Lokoja (Head of Butchers) in Lokoja, have a long history date back to 1870.
The butchers in Lokoja live in a quarter named after their profession, unguwan Fawa in present ward D, Lokoja Local Goverment area in Kogi state.
The whole Hausa butchers who dominated the profession for over 150 years, according to history, are from two towns,Garko and Bebeji in present Kano State.
The early butchers who settled in Lokoja, was late Sarkin fawa Ibrahim Namiji from Garko,who was installed by sarki Dauda in 1870.
He reigned between 1870 – 1905, Ibrahim Namiji attracted his kinsmen mainly Garko and Bebeji,in Kano State.
That’s why we have Hausas from Kano not only monopolizing the occupation for centuries, but heading the occupation leadership by the two group in what was described as unwritten constitutional rotation.
Unlike fishing, which we’ve Kakanda, Nupe,and hausas from Kebbi dominating the occupation,the buthery profession is dominated by Hausas from kano,and other part of northern Nigeria
Some tribes embraced, the occupation in early 70s,mostly the yorubas,who were known as” Masu Sai da Ganda”or cow skin sellers.
According to reliable source, one Late Yau baban Garba from Kano, was the first Hausa man to introduced a Yaruba man into the occupation in Lokoja,as an errand boy.
According to history,the Sarkin fawa (title) of Lokoja rotates between the two groups earlier mentioned: GARKO AND BEBEJI dates back to the reigned of early Chief of Lokoja.
SARKIN FAWA OF LOKOJA AND THE YEARS THEY REIGNED
The sarautan Sarkin fawa of Lokoja is about 151 years today the first to be installed was:
Sarkin fawa Ibrahim( from Garko) who reigned between 1870-1905.
Muhammadu Na-Bebeji (Bebeji) 1905- 1923.
Usman Namade( Garko) 1923-1934.
Others were ; Muhammadu Mai Karfin Baji(Bebeji) 1948-1956
Muhammadu Dan Dodo ( Garko)1956- 1960 and Muhammadu Dan Kaka( Bebeji) 1960- 1973
Alhaji Muhammad Ginsau ( Garko) reigned from 1973- August 24, 2000
After the dead of Sarkin fawa Ginsau in August 2000, there was a conflict of interest and power tustle among the two interest groups Over succession.
The conflict lasted for five years when a late Musa Alin Galadima,whose father slugged it out or competed with late Gisau in 1973 but stepped down due to the intervention of elders,like late maiunguwa Nasidi, late Alhaji Salisu Inusa and Sheikh Malam Ibrahim Najirgi was seen as independent candidate.
Late Musa Alin Galadima,as an independent candidate was selected by a committee set up by HRH the Maigari of Lokoja.
What charged was charged with the responsibility of resolving the crisis between the two warring factions.
All efforts made by the committee to resolve the lingering crisis proved abortive. Supporters of the warring factions were invited by the committee to find a lasting solution to the ending crisis.
It was based on the submittion of the supporters of the two contenders ,late Alhaji Idi Gisau and late Alhaji Mahmuda that recommended Late Alhaji Musa Alin Galadima from Kano ,and was installed in where he reigned for 16 years :2005- June 11,2021.
Late musa’s appointment was viewed by many as a compensation over what some observers opined as his late father’s adherance to the advised by elders to step down for Late Alhaji Muhammadu Gisau as far back as 1973.
Less than 40 days after the demised of SARKIN fawa Musa, this reporter observed that political permutations have begun in earnest as some interested persons have signified their intentions to secceed late Alhaji Musa Alin Galadima who passed away on Friday 11,June 2021.
The issues that worried majority of Lokoja Butchers is how some desparate groups are doing everything possible to truncate this long history of succession,which if allow,the occupation would no doubt suffer another setback for a long time .
The question at the lips of stakeholders in the butchering occupation and observers in Lokoja now is;
Who would succeed late Alhaji Musa alin Galadima?
Will they allow the year 2000 scenario where power tussle base on tribal politics and egocentrism between two elders led to Alhaji Musa Alin Galadima’s victory?
Will the butchers, especially the Garko and Bebeji indigenes allow another tribe to manipulate their ways?
Only time would tell.
Musa Tanimu Nasidi,is a journalist,he writes from Lokoja.